Vehicle drive-axle.



W. 'RSSEL VEHICLE DRIVE XLE. APPLICATION FILED MAY a, 1911.

I JL F E Ql-R 5% /Mfmm /WJf/mm SATS FCE.

ALBERT W. RUSSEL, OF DETROIT, MICHIGAN, ASSIGNOR T0 RUSSEL MOTOR .AXLE

COMPANY, OF DETROIT, MICHIGAN, A CORPORATION OF MICHIGAN.

VEHICLE DRIVE-AXLE.

Specieation of Letters Patent.

Patented Mar. 112, 1918.

Application filed May 3,1917. Serial No. 166,076.

.To all il-7mm t may con/:ern:

Be it known that I. ALninri lV.lt-ossiin, a

citizen ot' the United States of America, rel vand replaced without disturbance'of the transmission mechanism, and to this end the invention comprises the novel construction as hereinafter set forth.

In the drawing, the device is represented in vertical central section.

A is the axle, B is the/ jackshafn C is a 'pinion mounted onthe jack-shaft Vand, Dis an internal gear-wheel meshing with and embracing said pinion and mounted concentric to the axle. E is a housing for inclosing the interineshing gears,p'rovided with an annular removable cover F on its outer side.v G is the vehicle wheel having attached thereto a brake-drum H surrounding the housing E.

Heretofore axles have been provided with transmission connections including an in-`I ternal gear-'wheel and pinion upon thejack shaft, but with such" constructions it is usual to mount the internal gear upon' the vehicle wheel so as to' necessitate the opening of the housing when said wheel is to be removed. This is objectionable both on account of the labor involved in opening the housing and also because this necessitates the draining ott of the lubricant. IlVith the present invention I have devised a construe.- tion in which the internal gear is mounted upon the axle lindependent ot the Vehicle wheel, and the latter is detachablj7 connected with said gearwheel and independently, removably mounted on the axle.

'l are pins secured to bosses I o'n `the web oi the internal gear-wheel D, and which, have projecting portions engageable with apertures in the web H oi the brake-driim H. J is a packing for closing the joint between the inner edge of the cover F and the internal gear-Wheel D.

Vith the construction as described, in assembling the parts, the hub .K ofthe 'internal gear-Wheel D is first engaged With the roller bearings L and L" on the axle, and the gear is placed in mesh with the pinion C upon the jack-shaft B. The cover F is then secured in position, after which the wheel G is mounted by slipping the hiib N upon the tapering portion M of the hub K and clamping the same by the nut O. During this engagement the apertures Ain the web H 'of the brake-drum H are engaged with the driving pins J so as to communicate the torque of the gear-wheel directly to the hub of the wheel. It will also be noted that the brake-drum H surrounds the housing E.

'lVhenever 4it is desired to remove the wheel, this may be accomplished without disturbance of the gear-wheel D or opening of the housing E, it being only necessary to remove the nut Oand slipping the tapering hub N oi from the tapering bearing M.

The hub Khas an inwardly-projecting portion which extends into the plane otl the teeth of the gear-wheel and thus the driving thrust of the pinion will be transmitted to Athis portion of the hub, avoiding any tend-4 eny to twist or skew the gear.

' What I claiin as my invention is:

' 1Th'e con'ibination with an axle, (it a jack-shaft arranged parallel thereto, a pinion on said jack-shaft, anv internal gearwheel concentric with said 'axle and meshing 'with said pinion, 'a housing for inclosing said gear-wheel and pinion, and a vehicle wheel removably mounted on said axle and @having a detachable driving engagement vwith said gear-wheel, permitting of the removal of said wheel Aindependent of said housing.

2. The combination with an axle, of a jack-shaft arranged parallel thereto, a pinion on said jack-shaft, an internal gearwheel sfin mesh with said pinion and arranged concentric to said axle, a bearing for said gear-wheel on said axle iii the plane of the intermeshing teeth, a housing for inclosing said gear-Wheel and pinion, and .a vehicle wheel removably mounted on said axle, having. aY detachable driving engagement with said gear-wheel.

3. The combination With an axle, ofA a jack-shaft arranged parallel thereto, a pinion on said jack-shaft, an internal gearwheel in mesh with said pinion and arranged. concentric Wih said axle, e hule :Eole said geenwheel on soi axle, a housing inclosing said gear-Wheel and pinion, and e vehicle Wheel detachably engaging said hub.

The combination with an axle, of a jack-shaft arranged parallel thereto, :i pinion on said jack-Shaft, en internal geni- Wheel in mesh with said pinion and having e hub concentric with said. axle, bearings et opposite ends of said hub upon said a-Xle, and e.v vehicle wheel having; a hub engageable with the hub of said gear-wheel to form e detachable driving connection therebetween.

5. The combination With im axle, oi i jack-shaft arranged parallel flieieto, e pinion on said jeieli-Shaul5 en internal gearhub of the vehicle Wheel upon the hule of the goeie-Wheel, for the purpose described.

n testimony Wleieof l alim my signature.

ALBERT W. RUSSEL. 

